Studio Series discussion

[unluckiness]

So…why hasn’t Takara bothered to release it? That sounds like the bigger, immediate, issue.

Transformers is a vastly declined brand for Takara so much that its presence is reduced to importing Hasbro’s toys with different text on the boxes most of the time. They’d rather dedicate their resources to their more popular product like Beyblade, Tomica or Shinkalion.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Transformers is a vastly declined brand for Takara so much that its presence is reduced to importing Hasbro’s toys with different text on the boxes most of the time. They’d rather dedicate their resources to their more popular product like Beyblade, Tomica or Shinkalion.

People in the West don't understand the extent to which Prime sunk the brand in Japan.

 

[Sabrblade]

If Takara were to do their own release of Hound (besides just selling this MTMTE rerelease as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive), it would likely be in one of their own collector-oriented redeco lines like Dramatic Capture Series (in which he would need at least two other figures packed-in along with him) or whatever the upcoming "New Legends" line is going to be (if it really is the successor to Dramatic Capture Series like how DCS was the successor to Beast Wars Again, which was itself the successor to the prematurely-canceled Premium Finish).

 

[unluckiness]

Prior to Prime, Transformers was already going downhill in Japan. That’s why Prime gambled with the Arms Micron model kits and stickers approach to try and win new fans over instead of the usual schtick of premium painted figures.

it was never a particularly large brand there, mind you. Living, non-piloted robots tend to have a stigma of being for babbies over there.

 

[Blot]

It's also a very different market from the US. There's lots of competition for Transformers on the robot front, while if you want a robot toy in the USA, Transformers is basically the only game in town.

 

[lastmaximal]

If Takara were to do their own release of Hound (besides just selling this MTMTE rerelease as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive), it would likely be in one of their own collector-oriented redeco lines like Dramatic Capture Series (in which he would need at least two other figures packed-in along with him) or whatever the upcoming "New Legends" line is going to be (if it really is the successor to Dramatic Capture Series like how DCS was the successor to Beast Wars Again, which was itself the successor to the prematurely-canceled Premium Finish).

At which point the whining would be followed by "at least Takara stepped in to save the day again after that stupid Hasbro dropped the ball multiple times. What do you MEAN, 'but this is exclusive to Japan-based stores in the same way I was complaining about'? How is that relevant?"

Funny enough, I was just thinking nothing else had been announced for DCS and the Skywarp/Insecticons set should be soonish. There's room for a Hound/Cliffjumper (maybe out of SS86 Bee)/whoever (different-shaded Grapple as Hauler?).

 

[unluckiness]

Two identical Optimuses and a Megatron with the control helmet would be hilarious

 

[lastmaximal]

Using the Earthrise molds for all of them. But since it's not a Target exclusive, it's automatically not a stupid idea.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

 

[Fullstrength Motleypuss]

I hope ToyHax gives us a set to make him look like Classics Bee along with the inevitable cell-shading set.

 

[Haywire]

You know, with the prominent 5mm port on the roof, if I get this iteration of Bee, instead of Devastation Bee, he's going to be Targetmaster Bumblebee. Just need to find an appropriate weapon buddy for him...

 

[unluckiness]

I like a lot of it better, especially the more substantial limbs but the hinges in car mode are ;pretty bad. Maybe if the head attachment is the same so i can get value out of my expensive but pretty 3rd party 86 Bee head.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

It's not bad, but I have so many Bees and it doesn't really do anything to stand out.

 

[Platypus Prime]

Am I the only one who would like the 'new' Bee mold as Cliffjumper, so he would be taller next to the 'old' Bee mold? The only Cliffjumper I have is the Legends scale one that came with a yellow Roller, so an upgrade would be nice, especially if I could have it as an actual different mold than Bumblebee for a change.

 

[LordGigaIce]

Am I the only one who would like the 'new' Bee mold as Cliffjumper, so he would be taller next to the 'old' Bee mold? The only Cliffjumper I have is the Legends scale one that came with a yellow Roller, so an upgrade would be nice, especially if I could have it as an actual different mold than Bumblebee for a change.

I'm sure it'll get a Cliffjumper release.

As for me? I'm happy with ER Cliffjumper and Netflix Bumblebee.

 

[Shadewing]

Am I the only one who would like the 'new' Bee mold as Cliffjumper, so he would be taller next to the 'old' Bee mold? The only Cliffjumper I have is the Legends scale one that came with a yellow Roller, so an upgrade would be nice, especially if I could have it as an actual different mold than Bumblebee for a change.

only if its in Classics Cliffjumper colors:

 

[Platypus Prime]

You mean his Shattered Glass/Gridman colors? I've always been surprised how much mileage that specific characterization got. It would fit the car shape, though, they're similar and I doubt it's coincidence.

Is 'Classics with guns' the new 'G1 with knees'?

 

[unluckiness]

He looks like he got into a fight with a power sander and lost.

 

[Platypus Prime]

It's hard to shave when you're made of metal. He improvised.

 

[LordGigaIce]

It would fit the car shape, though, they're similar and I doubt it's coincidence.

It's not. This mould is based on Devastation Bumblebee, and his Devastation robot mode was based on his Classics figure.